Here’s the origin story behind Red Lobster's Cheddar Bay Biscuits
FILE-A basket of Cheddar Bay Biscuits is displayed for a photograph at a Red Lobster restaurant. (Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Red Lobster may be known for its seafood, but the restaurant chain has gained a huge following over the years for their savory Cheddar Bay Biscuits.
After news got out that the Orlando-based company is closing dozens of restaurants, fans of the sought-after appetizer probably wondered what this meant for the biscuits. But no need to worry because the restaurant chain sells a pre-made mixture of the biscuits on grocery store shelves.
These delicious appetizers debuted in 1992 when Kurt Hankins, then-head of Red Lobster’s culinary development team, was inspired by Texas Toast and French bread. According to the Tasting Table, a food enthusiast website, Hankins invented the delectable food using a traditional biscuit recipe but substituted sugar for garlic and added cheese.
The name was inspired by a fictional geographical name "to reflect the seaside atmosphere of Red Lobster restaurants," the company shared in a release.
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Biscuits were first served on trays to hungry customers waiting in the restaurant lobby for seating. The demand for the treats became so massive that Red Lobster started offering them as menu appetizers.
The restaurant initially sold hush puppies, and it wasn't a hit with patrons, leading to the creation of the tasty biscuits, originally called "freshly baked, hot cheese garlic bread."
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Customers loved the Cheddar Bay Biscuits so much that by 2017, Red Lobster claimed in a company release that they were baking almost 1 million biscuits daily, the Indianapolis Star reported.
When Cheddar Bay Biscuits celebrated its 25th birthday in 2017, Red Lobster released limited-time merchandise inspired by the food, including magnets, tee shirts, foam biscuits, and Cheddar Bay Biscuit-flavored lip balm, Tasting Table noted.
This story was reported from Washington, D.C.